Over the last decade, the Ohio State football program has been able to pick and choose its receiver recruits. When Brian Hartline was on staff, they could pretty much get whatever receiver they wanted. Hartline churned out first-round receivers at an incredible rate.
The final one he served up for the Buckeyes was Carnell Tate. Tate was the first Buckeye taken in the 2026 NFL Draft, as he was selected fourth overall. Next year, Ohio State will have another first-round receiver in Jeremiah Smith. Ohio State was able to get that talent because of Hartline's recruiting abilities.
Cortez Hankton is the receivers coach that Ryan Day hired to take over for Hartline. He doesn't have the recruiting pedigree that Hartline had, although no one does. Still, Hankton is expected to continue to recruit at an elite level. It looks like he's off to a troubling start on that front.
Ohio State expected to lose out on 5-star receiver Monshun Sales
The Buckeyes have been recruiting five-star receiver Monshun Sales out of Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis for a while. For most of the recruitment process, the Buckeyes were considered the favorites. Now, they are projected to lose him, according to Steve Wiltfong of Rivals.
Wiltfong has now logged a prediction for the Indiana Hoosiers to land Sales instead of Ohio State. Indiana has turned into a powerhouse under Curt Cignetti, as they are the defending national champions. They don't look like they are taking a step back, either.
Losing Sales would be a big blow to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Taking the best receivers has been a big part of their identity over the last few years. Day is expecting Hankton to be able to continue on that tradition. Losing out on Sales would not be acceptable to happen.
Cortez Hankton has a ton of pressure in his first year at Ohio State
Ohio State football fans are used to having elite receivers every single year. Hankton has to prove that he can keep the standard of play high in Columbus. Of course, Smith will be able to do that this season. Developing a second receiver behind him will go a long way, as well.
If Hankton is able to develop a second receiver who can produce at a high level behind Smith, that would go a long way with recruits. It seems that they want to Hankton to prove that he can produce and develop talent at a similar rate to what Hartline was able to do.
Hankton will have all of the resources he could ever want to help him achieve that goal. He is going to have a lot of pressure on him this season and for the next few years. Fans demand excellence from everyone on the coaching staff. Losing a five-star recruit they were supposed to land is not excellence.
There is still a chance that Ohio State can make a late play for Sales. He has not made a commitment yet. Even if he does, Signing Day is still six months away.
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